Physical Appearance

• The Brown Cockroach is reddish-brown in color and resembles the American cockroach, except its body is short and stout, while the American Cockroach appears tall and thin
• The Brown Cockroach is 1 ¼ to 1 ½ inch long

Habitat

Brown cockroaches are found most commonly in the southern states, from Florida to Texas, however they have also been found in some of the more northern states including Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and Ohio. These roaches are found both indoors and outdoors. Typical dwelling places include moist dark places, especially under the bark of trees, in sewers, and in crawl spaces.

Feeding Habits

Brown Cockroaches feed mainly on plant materials.

Reproduction

Female Brown Cockroaches lay as many as 30 egg capsules a week, with each capsule containing up to 24 eggs. These egg capsules are normally found "glued" on a cement or plaster surface, usually a wall near the ceiling in open spaces. The life cycle of the Brown roach takes about 339-351 days to complete. Adult Brown cockroaches can live for up to 20 months.

Damage

Brown cockroaches have the ability to multiply quickly and can be a nuisance in large numbers. Roaches intrude on homes, contaminate food, and sometimes transmit diseases.

Basic Control Methods

• Repair damage to screens, door frames, or exterior siding that may provide entry from outside.
• Repair leaks or excess water floor near the structure and ventilate other moist spaces.
• Remove rotting leaves, garbage cans, or compost piles as far from the structure as possible.
• Use a residual spray such as Talstar One or Cynoff WP outside around all points of possible entry including windows and door frames, dryer vents, and pipe openings. Use the same residual indoors along baseboards and framed entry points.
• For added protection, apply Talstar or Bifen granulars outside around the base of the house as a perimeter treatment.

For more detailed information on Brown Cockroach prevention and control, see How To Get Rid of Brown Cockroaches.


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